On track for Olympic glory

Lord Seb Coe and Kelly Holmes at the unveiling of the new logo for the 2012 Olympic Games.

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SURREY has put itself on the starting blocks for involvement in the 2012 London Olympics.

While Guildford is in the running to host a training camp for a foreign team and Bisley will be home to the shooting training facilities, the county could expect to reap further benefits from the games being on its doorstep.

The All England Club at Wimbledon will host the tennis during the summer of 2012 while Eton Dorney in Windsor will host the rowing.

However, Surrey’s largest involvement is likely to come some two years before the sporting contests with a major event celebrating what is called The Cultural Olympiad.

A report into what benefits the county could expect from the games has been complied by Surrey County Council (SCC).

Research in the document highlights a desire for a civil servant working in Surrey under the job title of Olympic co-ordinator.

“The 2012 Games is the opportunity of a generation,” the SCC report outlines. There will never be a better time to increase participation in culture and sport.”

Surrey’s participation could start in just three years time with a focus on a large-scale cultural event.

“We propose an arts and culture two day celebration event in 2010,” SCC’s states.

“It is proposed that the event will be held over a spring weekend at Dunsfold Aerodrome and will link with the 2012 Cultural Olympiad programme.

“We wish to explore the links between sport and arts through Surrey’s heritage and to be part of the re-integration of culture into the Olympic ideal.

“With its links with motor sport and air travel, Dunsfold provides us with an ideal location for an event linked to the cultural Olympiad.”

As the sporting events move closer to their starts, Surrey could also find it a focus for the biggest build up event in the Olympics.

“There has been no decisions made on the route of the Torch Relay,” County Hall’s report into Surrey involvement in the 2012 games explains.

“Although it could have potentially the most significance for Surrey.

“High profile legs could be staged between places of local importance, eg from Shah Jehan Mosque to Epsom Downs Racecourse.”

Meetings to discuss Surrey’s role within the 2012 Games are due to begin with the South East’s Olympic Creative Programmer next year.

However, Surrey is already lagging behind some areas in the South East in getting involved with the Games.

Kent has made the most strides, already highlighting how many parts of the county is just half an hour from the Olympic Park.

Dorset and Hertfordshire also each have a venue for an Olympic event.

For Surrey to bolster its involvement, accounts at County Hall may have to be raided.

“The message from the South East’s Olympic Co-ordinator is that there will be no further funding,” the Surrey County Council’s report states.

“To create something special for the county and to maximise the profile, economic and social impact, additional investment would be required.

“This is a very rare opportunity to create something where the impact would be greater than the investment.”